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Last updated on Wednesday, April 13, 2011
(PARKER CITY, IN) - A Randolph County gun dealer faces federal charges after a raid of his store Tuesday morning.
61-year-old Charles Ludington of Parker City, was arrested on four felony counts.
Ludco Gun Shop was audited in the fall of 2010 and ATF Agents found 13 recordkeeping violations.
ATF Special Agent in charge Bob Browning says less than 1% of federally-licensed gun dealers are found to have at least one recordkeeping violations.
Investigators say he could not account for 997 guns. U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett says undercover agents bought guns from Ludington posing as convicted felons.
Hogsett says Ludington even helped the agent fill out paperwork required to buy a firearm.
Ludington also allegedly sold a weapon to a convicted felon.
Browning says Ludington had an inventory of over 3,700 guns, which made him a high inventory dealer.
Browning says he was in the store and said it was no surprise to him that Ludington couldn't keep records because "the guns were in no particular order in the store and I've never seen so many guns crammed into one small business in my 24 year career."
Ludington could face over 15 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
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